Continuous deaeration apparatus



Dec. 9, 1958 c. JQ DAVIS, JR

CONTINUOUS DEAERATION APPARATUS r Filed Feb. 27. i956 girls 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 9, 1958 c. J. DAVIS, JR

CONTINUOUS DEAERATION APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1956 United States Patent O CONTINUOUS DEAERATION APPARATUS Charles J. Davis, Jr., Chicago, lll., assignor to Armour and Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 27, 1956, Serial No. 568,034 Claims. (Cl. 18S-2.5)

This invention is an improvement in'apparatus for the removal of moisture and air and other gases contained in animal and vegetable oils. kIt is more specifically an improved apparatus for distributing oil in a lilm of uniform thickness owing downward on the internal periphery of a deaerating chamber.

During the process of deodorization of animal and vegetable oils operating temperatures are sufficiently high to promote the oxidation of the oil with resultant darkening and impairment of the quality of the cil. Oxidation is further promoted by the presence in the oil of dissolved and occluded air. The problem of oxidation has been minimized by deaerating the oils before they are subjectedto the deodorizing process.

The presence of moisture also is inirnical to the refining of animal'and vegetable fats and oils and must be removed along with dissolved and occluded air.

Deaeration of the oil has been accomplished by subjecting the oil to reduced pressure, causing dissolved and occluded air in the body of the oil to form bubbles and rise to the surface. Under these conditions moisture is Vaporized and is removed from the oil together with the dissolved and occluded air. In the continuous process usually employed the oil is caused to ow under reduced pressure over a vertical surface in a thin iilm, thereby increasing the rate of deaeration.

It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide an apparatus for the removal of dissolved and occluded air from animal and vegetable fats and oils. A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the removal of water and water vapors from animal and vegetable oils. Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus in which the maintenance of the surface of the apparatus in a horizontal plane is not critical. It is also an object to provide an apparatus which will provide a lilm of uniform thickness and which will in its design adapt itself to fluctuations in the rate of ow of oil into the chamber. It is still a further object to provide an apparatus which is readily dismantled for cleaning and maintenance. Other objects and advantages of the inventio-n will be apparent as the specication proceeds.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by providing in the deaerating chamber an annular U-shaped trough having perforations positioned on the lower side of the tro-ugh adjacent to the chamber wall. The oil is passed through conduits into the trough and is directed through the perforations to the inner wall of the charnber upon which it ows downward in a iilm of uniform thickness.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a deaeration chamber in which this invention is employed.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing the trough of improved construction.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a section of the trough.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing oil supply lines and construction of the trough. v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of oil supply lines and the particular construction of the trough.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a modified trough.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 a deaeration chamber 1 is mounted upon legs 6 in any convenient location and is constructed to withstand a high vacuum. A manhole 2, with cover 3 to lit is provided at the top of the chamber. Vacuum is drawn within the chamber through vacuum line 4. Flanged outlets 5 for lioat control of the oil level are provided in the lower portion of the chamber. The annular U-shaped trough 8 described in greater detail below, is stationarily positioned near the top of the chamber. An oil supply line 9, shown in sectional view of Fig. 2 and Fig. 6, passes through the chamber wall at a point above the top of the trough 8. It is divided into two branches 10. A plurality of such oil supply lines could be employed if desired. Deaerated oil is withdrawn from outlet 7 positioned in the bottom of the chamber.

The annular U-shaped trough 8 in the present embodiment of the lnvention is made up of two sections 11, each `separately mounted upon support clips 12 fastened to the inner wall of the chamber. Each section 11 of the annular trough 8 is of arcuate form and is adjacent to the inner periphery of the chamber and is adapted to receive oil from supply line 9 and to direct the flow of oil to the adjacent portion of the vertical inner periphery of the chamber wall. Spacers 13 which may also support the trough, are provided to maintain the outer periphery of the trough at a uniform distance from the inner periphery of the deaeration chamber, and as shown in Fig. 5 prevent rotatio-n of the trough in a horizontal plane. Each section of the trough is provided with handles 14 to facilitate removal from the chamber.

On the trough wall adjacent to the inner periphery of the chamber are located perforations 15. These perforations are a distinctive feature of the invention and provide for a new mode of operation. In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings these perforations are at the lowest level in the trough wall and project the oil in a direction perpendicular to the trough wall and directly on the vertical inner periphery of the chamber. It is apparent that by increasing the size of the perforation the rate of flow of the oil will be increased.

Perforations may also be provided at several levels in the trough wall as shown in Fig. 7. If the rate of ilow of oil into the trough is increased beyond the discharge capacity of the lower level of perforations, the oil level will rise and the next higher level of perforations will become operative. Hence the trough by its design may compensate for fluctuations in the rate of oil ow.

The operation of the invention in the deaeration of a typical animal or vegetable oil is as follows: Oil from a feed stock tank (not shown) is passed through oil supply line 9 into the deaeration chamber and is discharged from the oil supply line branches 10 into a section of the annular trough. The oil ows around each section filling it to a level above the perforations. l As the oil flows through the perforations it contacts the vertical inner wall of the deaeration chamber and as it ows downward, spreads to form a vertical ilm of uniform thickness. From this thin tilm which in the chamber is subjected to a vacuum, the air contained in the oil is discharged. Here also any moisture present is Vaporized and discharged from the oil. The deaerated oil collects at the bottom of the chamber and is then withdrawn for further processing.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herein shown and described is a preferred example of the same and may be changed and modied by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention.

. iI claim:

1. In Yantapparatus for the continuous deaeration-of animal Yand vegetable fatsandoils, the improvement which comprises a deaeration chamber, a trough fixedly positioned inside-and adjacent to the periphery of said deaeration chamber, said trough having perforations on only one. side-thereof, said side .being that side of said trough which is adjacent to the inner periphery of said deaeration chamber, said perforations being adapted to discharge oil on said inner periphery of said deaeration chamber, Vand means for introducing oil into said trough.

2. In an apparatus for the continuous deaeration of animal andvegetable fats androils, the improvement which comprises `a deaeration chamber, a U-shaped trough,

.means for maintaining saidV U-shaped trough in stationary position inside of and adjacent to the periphery of said deaeration chamber, said UA-shaped trough having perforations on only one side thereof, said side being that side of said trough which is adjacent to the inner periphery of said deaeration chamber, and means for introducing oil into said U-shaped trough.

3. In an apparatus for the continuous deaeration of animal and vegetable fats and oils, the improvement which comprises a deaeration chamber, a sectional annular U-shaped trough positioned inside the upper portion of said deaeration chamber, said sectional annular `Ushaped trough being formed of individual separately mounted stationary sections each having a plurality of perforations only in the side Wall thereof which is adjacent to the vertical inner wall of said deaeration chamber, and an oil supply line adapted to introduce oil into each section of said sectional annular U-shaped trough.

4. In an apparatus for the continuous deaeration of animal and vegetable fats and oils, the improvement which comprises a deaeration chamber, a stationary trough inside said deaeration chamber and positioned near the top thereof, said trough having a bottom, a side Wall adjacent to the inner periphery of said chamber and an inside wall and having perforations on only one side Wall thereof said side Wall being that side wall of said trough which is adjacent to the inner periphery of said deaeration chamber, said perforations being positioned in rows at different levels on said side Wall of said trough, said perforations being adapted to discharge oil in uniform continuous ow onto the inner periphery of said deaeration chamber, and means for introducing oil into said trough. l

5. In an apparatus for the continuous deaeration of animal and vegetable fats and oils, the improvement which comprises a deaeration chamber, an annular U- shaped trough stationarily positioned near the top of said deaeration chamber and adjacent to the side walls thereof, said annular U-shaped trough being divided into separate and removable sections, each of said sections being stationarily mounted to form said annular U-shaped trough, a supply line adapted to introduce oil into said deaeration chamber and to distribute it to each of said sections of said annular U-shaped trough, a plurality of perforations in said annular U-shaped trough, said plurality of perforations being positioned in the lower portion of the side wall of said annular U-shaped trough which is adjacent to the inner periphery of said deaeration chamber, said perforations being uniformally spaced and -being adapted to discharge the contents of said annular U-shaped trough onto the adjacent vertical inner periphery of said deaeration chamber.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 199,785 Burgin Jan. 29, 1878 2,507,797 Martin May 16, 1950 2,684,728 -Malrn July 27, 1954 

